SONIA. [Comes back] He says, no.

The curtain falls.

ACT III

The drawing-room of SEREBRAKOFF'S house. There are three doors:
one to the right, one to the left, and one in the centre of the
room. VOITSKI and SONIA are sitting down. HELENA is walking up
and down, absorbed in thought.

VOITSKI. We were asked by the professor to be here at one
o'clock. [Looks at his watch] It is now a quarter to one. It
seems he has some communication to make to the world.

HELENA. Probably a matter of business.

VOITSKI. He never had any business. He writes twaddle, grumbles,
and eats his heart out with jealousy; that's all he does.

SONIA. [Reproachfully] Uncle!

VOITSKI. All right. I beg your pardon. [He points to HELENA] Look
at her. Wandering up and down from sheer idleness. A sweet
picture, really.

HELENA. I wonder you are not bored, droning on in the same key
from morning till night. [Despairingly] I am dying of this
tedium. What shall I do?